Why I’ll Never Again Ask ‘Where Are You Going to College Next Year?’

For years, come spring, I’d excitedly ask the high school seniors I knew “So where are you headed to school next year?” I meant well – honestly, I thought each of these kids was awesome and was excited for whatever they had in store. But now that I’ve gone through college admissions with my first child and I’m almost-but-not-quite through it with my second, I’ve vowed never to ask again.

I don’t ask the teens, and I don’t ask the parents. If they have news and want to share, I will give them ...